Andrew Bradford (1686 – November 24, 1742) was an early American printer in colonial

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. He published the first newspaper in Philadelphia, ''The American Weekly Mercury'', beginning in 1719, as well as the first magazine in America in 1741.

Life and career

He was the son of a printer, and grandson of two others. He was born to

William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

and Elizabeth Sowle Bradford in Philadelphia. In 1692, the family moved to

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, and there he learned the printing trade from his father. In 1709, Andrew Bradford was listed as a printer in New York; that year, he declined an offer from Rhode Island to become that colony's printer. He returned to Philadelphia in 1712 and opened his own print shop. On December 22, 1719, he began publication of ''The American Weekly Mercury''. This was the first newspaper in Philadelphia and enjoyed a wide circulation. He also taught the print business to his nephew William Bradford and for a time employed

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...

when Franklin first came to Philadelphia, introduced by Bradford's father William. Franklin would go on to establish a rival printing press and newspaper, the ''

Pennsylvania Gazette ''The Pennsylvania Gazette'' was one of the United States' most prominent newspapers from 1728 until 1800. In the several years leading up to the American Revolution the paper served as a voice for colonial opposition to British colonial rule, ...

'', in Philadelphia. On February 13, 1741, Bradford published the first issue of the ''American Magazine'', the first magazine to be published in America — beating out Franklin for the honor by three days. Throughout the 1720s, Bradford published political pamphlets critical of the local government, denouncing its "sinking credit" and supporting freedom of the press. He also published " Busy-Body" essays, criticisms of the colonial government penned by Franklin and

Joseph Breintnall Joseph Breintnall (died 1746) was an influential American merchant and amateur naturalist. He was the first Secretary of the Library Company of Philadelphia and the sheriff of Philadelphia from 1735–1738. His name is usually remembered alongsid ...

, in the ''Mercury''. For these political actions, Bradford was brought before a council, censured several times, and jailed once. American Weekly Mercury, January 22, 1740

American Weekly Mercury, January 22, 1740

Bradford's first wife was Dorcas Boels, who died in 1739. Bradford then married Cornelia Smith, who took over his print shop and newspaper upon his death in 1742.

Citations

Bibliography

* *
The Bradford Family Papers (1620-1906)
held at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bradford, Andrew 1686 births 1742 deaths American printers Businesspeople from Philadelphia People of colonial Pennsylvania American newspaper founders American publishers (people) Journalists from Pennsylvania Colonial American printers